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$ THE GLASS FACTORY. $
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..,=:$*¤## SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ##¤*$:=,..
.,=:$*¤### BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ###¤*$:=,.
..,=:$*¤## THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ##¤*$:=,..
...,=:$*¤# NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES #¤*$:=,...
....,=:$*¤ SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ¤*$:=,....
.....,=:$* STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. *$:=,.....
......,=:$ FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR $:=,......
.......,=: THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, :=,.......
........,= AND A GIFT SHOP. =,........
.......,=: :=,.......
......,=:$ THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY $:=,......
.....,=:$* MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE *$:=,.....
....,=:$*¤ CONSIDERED POOR. ¤*$:=,....
...,=:$*¤# #¤*$:=,...
..,=:$*¤## THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ##¤*$:=,..
.,=:$*¤### DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ###¤*$:=,.
..,=:$*¤## YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ##¤*$:=,..
...,=:$*¤# REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. #¤*$:=,...
....,=:$*¤ CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ¤*$:=,....
.....,=:$* LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE *$:=,.....
......,=:$ PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, $:=,......
.......,=: SOME ARE SHATTERED. :=,.......
........,= =,........
.......,=: THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S :=,.......
......,=:$ A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT $:=,......
.....,=:$* GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. *$:=,.....
....,=:$*¤ VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ¤*$:=,....
...,=:$*¤# TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF #¤*$:=,...
..,=:$*¤## GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ##¤*$:=,..
.,=:$*¤### ###¤*$:=,.
..,=:$*¤## $$ ##¤*$:=,..
...,=:$*¤# $$ $$ #¤*$:=,...
....,=:$*¤ ======= $ $ ======= ¤*$:=,....
.....,=:$* $$ $$ *$:=,.....
......,=:$ $$ $:=,......
.......,=: :=,.......
........,= I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE =,........
.......,=: OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS :=,.......
......,=:$ OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD $:=,......
.....,=:$* DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS *$:=,.....
....,=:$*¤ BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ¤*$:=,....
...,=:$*¤# DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO #¤*$:=,...
..,=:$*¤## ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ##¤*$:=,..
.,=:$*¤### LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ###¤*$:=,.
..,=:$*¤## WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ##¤*$:=,..
...,=:$*¤# #¤*$:=,...
....,=:$*¤ HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ¤*$:=,....
.....,=:$* HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. *$:=,.....
......,=:$ IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY $:=,......
.......,=: INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE :=,.......
........,= IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM =,........
.......,=: WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS :=,.......
......,=:$ OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. $:=,......
.....,=:$* *$:=,.....
....,=:$*¤ THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ¤*$:=,....
...,=:$*¤# HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT #¤*$:=,...
..,=:$*¤## LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ##¤*$:=,..
.,=:$*¤### TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ###¤*$:=,.
..,=:$*¤## A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ##¤*$:=,..
...,=:$*¤# STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE #¤*$:=,...
....,=:$*¤ BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ¤*$:=,....
.....,=:$* ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING *$:=,.....
......,=:$ LIT FROM BEHIND. $:=,......
.......,=: :=,.......
........,= I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT =,........
.......,=: THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE :=,.......
......,=:$ WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S $:=,......
.....,=:$* LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN *$:=,.....
....,=:$*¤ ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ¤*$:=,....
...,=:$*¤# AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE #¤*$:=,...
..,=:$*¤## OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ##¤*$:=,..
.,=:$*¤### ###¤*$:=,.
..,=:$*¤## $$ ##¤*$:=,..
...,=:$*¤# $$ $$ #¤*$:=,...
....,=:$*¤ ======= $ $ ======= ¤*$:=,....
.....,=:$* $$ $$ *$:=,.....
......,=:$ $$ $:=,......
.......,=: :=,.......
........,= MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE =,........
.......,=: STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET :=,.......
......,=:$ IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, $:=,......
.....,=:$* IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. *$:=,.....
....,=:$*¤ IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ¤*$:=,....
...,=:$*¤# DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY #¤*$:=,...
..,=:$*¤## CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ##¤*$:=,..
.,=:$*¤### SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ###¤*$:=,.
..,=:$*¤## PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ##¤*$:=,..
...,=:$*¤# #¤*$:=,...
....,=:$*¤ THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ¤*$:=,....
.....,=:$* THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE *$:=,.....
......,=:$ THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM $:=,......
.......,=: A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS :=,.......
........,= SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING =,........
.......,=: HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I :=,.......
......,=:$ SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO $:=,......
.....,=:$* THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. *$:=,.....
....,=:$*¤ IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ¤*$:=,....
...,=:$*¤# CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE #¤*$:=,...
..,=:$*¤## ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ##¤*$:=,..
.,=:$*¤### ###¤*$:=,.
..,=:$*¤## THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ##¤*$:=,..
...,=:$*¤# WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND #¤*$:=,...
....,=:$*¤ CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ¤*$:=,....
.....,=:$* BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT *$:=,.....
......,=:$ FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE $:=,......
.......,=: BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING :=,.......
........,= DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE =,........
.......,=: TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS :=,.......
......,=:$ DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY $:=,......
.....,=:$* FLOOR. *$:=,.....
....,=:$*¤ ¤*$:=,....
...,=:$*¤# HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO #¤*$:=,...
..,=:$*¤## KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ##¤*$:=,..
.,=:$*¤### LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ###¤*$:=,.
..,=:$*¤## WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ##¤*$:=,..
...,=:$*¤# PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF #¤*$:=,...
....,=:$*¤ HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ¤*$:=,....
.....,=:$* THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. *$:=,.....
......,=:$ $:=,......
.......,=: I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM :=,.......
........,= WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO =,........
.......,=: MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A :=,.......
......,=:$ WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS $:=,......
.....,=:$* THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT *$:=,.....
....,=:$*¤ VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ¤*$:=,....
...,=:$*¤# BECOME STILL. #¤*$:=,...
..,=:$*¤## ##¤*$:=,..
.,=:$*¤### $$ ###¤*$:=,.
..,=:$*¤## $$ $$ ##¤*$:=,..
...,=:$*¤# ======= $ $ ======= #¤*$:=,...
....,=:$*¤ $$ $$ ¤*$:=,....
.....,=:$* $$ *$:=,.....
......,=:$ $:=,......
.......,=: A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, :=,.......
........,= AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M =,........
.......,=: BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE :=,.......
......,=:$ STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, $:=,......
.....,=:$* CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST *$:=,.....
....,=:$*¤ FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ¤*$:=,....
...,=:$*¤# SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, #¤*$:=,...
..,=:$*¤## AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ##¤*$:=,..
.,=:$*¤### ###¤*$:=,.
..,=:$*¤## SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ##¤*$:=,..
...,=:$*¤# THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK #¤*$:=,...
....,=:$*¤ GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ¤*$:=,....
.....,=:$* I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE *$:=,.....
......,=:$ THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? $:=,......
.......,=: :=,.......
........,= I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. =,........
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